Going Platinum

A few years back we made the somewhat dramatic decision to move HD’s Platinum Circle Awards event from Las Vegas to New York. It was a bit of a risk: PC, celebrating the career achievements of select industry leaders, had become a Las Vegas staple, held in tandem with HD Expo, so there was a chance that it wouldn’t catch fire at a different time and in a different place.

Happily, our fears were unfounded. The 2013 Platinum Circle Awards Gala, honoring Margaret McMahon, Ian Schrager, Daniel Boulud, and Pamela Anderson and Laurie Miller, was a spectacular success that was matched, if not surpassed by the 2014 event: Art Gensler, Adrian Zecha, Danny Meyer, and Lauren Rottet were the honorees, with a special Visionary Award that went to Rockwell Group for 30 years of creative excellence. The black-tie festive evening was sold out, and it was one of the best parties I’ve ever attended.

We’re on a roll, and this year’s roster is every bit as dazzling. Being inducted on November 10th at the Conrad New York are Gary Dollens, global head of product and brand development, Hyatt Hotels; Kemper Hyers, senior vice president of design, Starwood Capital Group; and chef Nobu Matsuhisa, founder, Nobu Hospitality. And we’ll honor HBA, celebrating its 50th anniversary, with this year’s Visionary Award. The industry doesn’t produce better than this group, and were anticipating another stellar event.